


And the World continued Spinning

by cookie_club



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Bittersweet Ending, I am so sorry, Multi, Unrequited Love, bad ending for season 2, but ANGST, essentially what if shiro never comes back and 10 years pass, sheith gets a bad ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-22
Updated: 2017-07-22
Packaged: 2018-12-05 13:14:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11578803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cookie_club/pseuds/cookie_club
Summary: Shiro had once read an article about a man that woke up from a coma after 10 years. He thought it tragic but that was not something that would ever happen to him.He had been right, he hadn't lain in a coma for 10 years, instead he was transported into a strange dimension where time passed diffrently. When he finally got out 10 years passed, but not a day for him.A bad ending fic for Season 2





	And the World continued Spinning

Shiro slowly opened his eyes. He blinked once, twice but his eyes still felt heavy. Through half lidded eyes he took his surroundings in. He was in hospital room. Heavy curtains where dimming the bright daylight. 

Wait that couldn't be right. He was fighting Zarkon! They had been on the battlefield and then… 

What happened then? 

He had taken Zarkons bayard, he had fought him and... then what? He shuffled around to search for a call button. He stilled. Could this be an illusion created by the druids? 

He took a deep breath, trying to find any flaw in the room. He was hooked up to different machines all monitoring his conditions, they seemed normal. The fabric of his gown felt like the typical cheap throwaway fabric you would expect. He looked at the clock, then to his hand and counted his fingers, only ten, then back to the clock. time hadn't changed. If it was one thing druid illusions struggled with was maintaining little detail like time passage and how many fingers he had. Everything checked out. 

This was real.

He was really in a hospital on earth. Had something happened to him after the final battle? Had he lain in a coma? He looked for any reflective surfaces. Finding one he checked his appearance. Nothing had changed. Same face, with the same undercut, with the same white fringe and scar. 

Finally being fully awake he looked for the call button. Shiro found it tucked away between the mattress and the bed frame on his left side. He pressed the button.  
Shiro didn't wait long before a doctor and a nurse rushed in. They looked human. He released a breath he hadn't known he held.  
The doctor and nurse looked at each other unsure how to proceed. Shrio tilted his head in confusion. 

“Mr. Shirogane, I am Dr. Lucy Hamae, this is Nurse Davison. May I ask how you are feeling?” 

“I’m feeling fine, maybe a bit sleepy.” 

Dr. hamae nodded. She looked hesitant back at the nurse, the nurse giving an equal wary look. The tension in the room was thick and Shiro wasn't sure what had caused it. 

“Mr.Shirogane what is the last thing you remember?” Now Shiro was the one that looked warily at them. Would they think he's crazy if he started talking about Voltron. 

“I remember being in a fight.”  
“The second battle at central command.” the nurse whispered. Shiro tensed before relaxing, so they knew about Voltron. 

“What exactly happened after the battle?” Where is my team? How did i get here? Those questions went unsaid. The tension grew and the Doctor and Nurse exchanged looks again. Dr. Hamae started to chew her bottom lip before inhaling deeply. 

“Mr. Shriogane… It’s been a decade since that battle took place. The war ended seven years ago.” A decade? 

“No no no that can't be right? I haven't aged a day!” 

“We are not sure what happens. All we know is that the black lion suddenly ejected you this morning.” 

He was what? He couldn't process anything that was said to him. There is no way ten years could have passed. He didn't look a day older! But there was something scratching at the back of his mind. 

He had been drifting. 

The astralplane! 

He remembered walking in it. Zarkon was there with him, then he wasn't. He continued to walk- and walk and walk until noting. 

Until now. 

 

“Mr. Shirogane I need to check you up. Afterwards there is someone that may be able to explain the entire situation better to you.” Shiro only nodded.

 

 

Dr. Hamae left the room and he immediately looked for a remote to turn on the TV. After a while he found it it and started looking for a news station. Shiro found a news station that currently had the weather displayed, he checked the date. Ten years had indeed passed. 

A knock. 

Shiro looked over to the door and froze. Keith was standing in the doorway. Keith had grown, his lean form filled with muscles now and he could spot a scar on his exposed right forearm.

And Keith had grown older. Older than Shiro.

Shiro turned the tv off and waited for something to happen. Anything to happen. Keith awkwardly shuffled into the room, he pulled a chair to Shiro's bedside and sat down. 

“Hey.”  
“Hey.” 

Silence. 

“So… the Doctor said someone could explain what happened. Do you know what happened?” Shiro tried to break the ice. 

Keith laughed: “Of course they did. The Doctor said the last thing you remember is fighting Zarkon.” 

“Not really. It's hazy but I remember being in this… this…” 

“Astral plane.” Keith finished. Shiro looked at him and nodded, so Keith knew. 

“After… After you were gone I tried bonding with the black lion, it took me there a few times. I never saw you though.” Keith started to play with the wrinkles absentmindedly on the bed sheet. 

He was nervous. Shiro doesn't blame him. 

“Though when I was there I never felt like I was alone, guess that was you.” Keith said.

Shiro smiled at that and took Keith's hand his his own, like he would always do when Keith was nervous. Keith pulled his hand back.  
Shiros smile fell.  
The silence was back. Keith got up from his chair and shuffled behind the it so he could lean against the backrest. 

“I don't know what to say.” Shiro finally admitted. 

“That makes two of us.” 

The silence returned again. 

“I’m feeling a bit tired. Maybe we can talk after when I had some rest. You know get our minds cleared?” Shiro suggested.

Keith looked at him in surprise then slowly nodded. 

“Yeah, sound like a good idea.” he watched Keith walk toward the door. 

“Sleep well.” and Keith was out of the door.

 

 

Shiro wasn't actually tired. He needed an excuse to get out of that situation. Keith had obviously not been prepared to face the situation and he couldn't blame him. That didn't mean the distance didn't hurt. He was here, safe on earth and Keith had been so close, but so far. 

Shrio wanted to scream, yell at the world for its cruelty. Despite what many believed Shiro had had a rough childhood. His twin brother had committed suicide when he was 15, which changed his home live forever. A place that used to be so loving and welcoming became cold and distant. He told his parents he would enlist at the Garrison and as soon as he turned 18. He did. His parents filed for a divorce at the same time, now that their only remaining child was taken care of. They visited each other but they weren't a family anymore. 

At the Garrison he met Matt, who was as energetic and silly as it could get, something Shiro welcomed in his life. And then there was Keith. 

Keith was like him. Both of them had forgotten what family was, but unlike Shiro who tried to cope with kindness and friendliness, Keith coped with anger and impulse. The night Keith told him how his father had just abandoned him at an orphanage when he was eight; was also the night they kissed for the first time. 

It didn't take long before people started to notice the change in their dynamic. Relationships were frowned upon at the Garrison so Keith and Shiro created their own little code. When ever they weren't sure who was listening they would speak in this code. 

A see you soon became a come to my room tonight, a I think there is going to be nice weather on the weekend was, let's do something off campus. Of course people noticed, so they spun a tale of how they were like brothers. 

The instructors didn't say anything about that. Then Kerberos happened. It wasn't even supposed to be him, he was to young, but the original pilot was expecting a baby and couldn't pilot anymore. So Shiro was chosen. He knew the Holts and was their best rookie pilot. Keith hadn't been happy when he found out about it, but supported him nothern less. It’s only 10 months, he said. Shiro couldn't help but laugh at this memory. How far away it seemed. Technically it was further away now. 

Then the Galra and his time as a Gladiator happened. Then Voltron happened. Despite being so far from earth and in the middle of a war he felt like things were finally looking better. They were a ragtag team, but everyone was welcoming. And Keith was there, even though they were tiptoeing around each other things were finally looking better for Shiro. As good as they could be in a war zone. Before the final battle with Zarkon, Keith and Shiro had finally fully found back to each other. Their bond stronger than ever.

 

A knock startled Shiro out of his thoughts. He turned toward the door a young woman was standing there with a side cut and a leather jacket. Had she gotten to wrong room? 

She smiled and said “Wakey wakey sleepyhead.”

That voice! “Pidge?!” 

“The one and only.” She said and spread her arms as to present herself. 

“Didn’t recognize me for a sec, did you?” 

“No I didn't,” Shiro admitted, “You changed a lot.” 

“Well I hope I did. I'm 26 now, y’know.” He sucked in a deep breath. She was as older than him.  
“Oh, sensitive subject I see.” 

“Les sensitive, more unnerving.” 

“Understandable. The rest of the team is going to be coming soon. And the nurse said there is nothing wrong with you so they’ll discharge you at the end of the day.”  
Shiro's head was spinning. Things were going to fast! Pidge apparently saw his stress and smiled systematically. 

“Dont worry. Keith is working on getting a place for you. Things will slow down you just came back at a bad time. There are a lot of things happening and you coming back made a, well, it made a huge mess.” 

“Sorry.” Why was he apologizing, it was out of his control, yet he couldn't help it. 

“Don't be. Here,” She held out a tablet, “Keith wanted me to give it to you.”  
“He seemed distant. When I talked to him earlier.” 

“A lot has changed. When you disappeared it hit Keith the hardest.” 

He felt like there was more to it but Pidge seemed uncomfortable discussing the matter further. So instead he focused on his tablet. Tablets hadn’t changed thank goodness. He swiped through it and found a news app. He hit it and the first thing that showed up was some breaking news article. 

Destruction of Black Lion postponed. The bBlack Paladin explains. 

“Pidge what does this mean?!” he showed her the article. Her shoulders tensioned. 

“It’s a long story.” was all she said. 

“Considering that I have skipped 10 years I think I’ll be fine. Why would you destroy the Black Lion?! What about the rest, what about Voltron?” 

She took a deep breath. “After the battle things didn't turn out quite right. You were gone, Keith was suddenly the Black Paladin, Zarkon son took over the empire and other splinter groups emerged. So unlike we had hoped the war continued.” 

He sighed. Somehow he should have known that this was a possibility. Dr. hamae had mentioned too but it had not connected with him. 

“And over the course of the war we realized as much as Voltron was the solution it was also the root of the problem. Five years ago there was nearly a rekindling of the war, Keith and Allura brought up the idea that maybe it was for the best to destroy Voltron. We all agreed. Black is the last to be destroyed. It was scheduled for tomorrow and then you showed up.” 

Oh so that was why Keith seemed so distant. He had caused a major shitstorm for him. 

“Yeah, that may cause some difficulties.” 

“Yeah. That's one of the reasons why he is off right now.” 

“One of the reasons?” 

“He's trying to pull some strings to get you comfortably situated without the media getting a whiff of it. Officially you are dead.” Shiros heart fluttered and dropped at the same time. The thought of Keith going out of his way to insure that he was taken care of made it flutter. The reminder that he was gone long enough to be pronounced dead laid heavy in his stomach. 

“You seem to be quite collected. Better than Keith at least.” he commented.

Pidge snorted before saying: “That's what you think! Unlike Keith I had a plane trip to think about what I wanted to say.” 

“Right. Where is this anyway?” 

“Oh you are in New Altea. I flew all the way from Melbourne y’know.” 

“New Altea?”

“It’s a small island in the pacific ocean on the southern hemisphere. Technically you are on intergalactic ground and not on earth.” Again Shiro only nodded.

“Was it difficult to take time off so suddenly.” he asked in an attempt to change the subject 

“I’m sure if I had been a normal person it would have been but since i'm not a normal person; no.” 

“Normal person?” 

“Well being a Paladin does give you a bit of leeway. After the war a normal life wasn't possible for us anymore. Lance and Hunk are ambassadors . Allura and Coran each have a seat in the Voltron council and Keith became a general for the Voltron council. I’m a tech working under the council.” 

“Sounds amazing. Am I correct to assume the Voltron council has something to do with the Voltron alliance?” 

“Yeah pretty much everything.” Shiro nodded. This was nice. Nicer than the tension between him and Keith earlier.  
They talked a bit more about nothing in particular until Pidge got a text and she excused herself, needing to do something for work.  
Shiro quickly grew bored so he started to channel hop on the TV. He eventually ended up on a old episode of a crime show he watched in the Garrison. A very old episode by now.

 

 

Shiro looked up from the TV. Someone had knocked on his door. Keith was standing there, looking lost.

“Hey. How are you?”

Shiro shrugged. “As good as I can be.” Keith humed and dropped a paper bag in front of him.

“I don't know if they fit. There was a clothes size reform to accommodate other alien species.”

Shiro looked inside the bag. There were a few t-shirts, pants and slippers all in different sizes available.

“Allura is arranging a extended stay for you at a hotel till we have you situated. I’ll wait in the hallway.” Keith walked back out.

Shiro looked through the different clothing articles, he didn't want to dwell to long on the awkwardness between Keith and himself.. It would pass, he told himself. Shiro just made a so-to-speak time jump and Keith had lived 10 years without him. The awkwardness would pass.

As it turned out shoes size 110 was still to small for him and pants size 70 to large. He was grateful that Keith had thought ahead and gotten a belt too. The t-shirt size 50 fit perfectly.

He stepped outside, Keith was waiting for him.

“Do you have everything?” he asked.

Shiro shrugged “Really don't have anything anymore.” 

Keith looked like he wanted to punch himself. They walked out of the hospital to Keiths car. It hoverd. Ten years ago hover cars were still in development. They got in.

The car ride was equally awkward. Keith had a frown plastered on his face as he drove along the roads of New Altea. 

“Pidge filled me in.” Keiths grip on the steering wheel tightened, knuckles turning white. 

“She did?” Keith seemed nervous. 

“Yeah she told me about how me coming back screwed things up with Blacks destruction.” 

“Oh yeah that.” Keith rubbed his face, he was definitely tired. 

“Don't worry about that. The idea to destroy Voltron was controversial anyway, nothing I can't handle.” 

“I must admit when I said I wanted you to be the leader I never expected this. I never thought past the war.”  
“Neither did we. We expected to return to earth live normal lifes, but towards the end earth got involved. Then again it was naive to think that we could return to a normal life after everything that’s happened.” 

“I guess you're right.” Shiro laughed. Keith pulled into a driveway to what looked like a five star hotel. 

“I guess being Paladin comes with some perks nowadays.” 

“They better after everything we’ve done.” Shiro got out of the car, missing how Keith hesitated to follow him for a second then checked his watch and shook his head.  
“Allura should have arranged for everyone to stay here. Lance and Hunk are on their way.” Keith said. 

They both stepped into the lobby. 

“Is that Allura?” 

Shiro could only see her in profile but without a doubt that was Allura. The only thing that was different was that her hair was short now, and she spotted a round belly. She was pregnant.  
Two children were beside her, standing on their toes in a failed attempt to look at what she was doing and Pidge behind her. One of the children turned around, a girl, and her entire face lit up. 

“Dad!” she yelled and ran past him and tackled Keith who had just come in behind Shiro. Keith crouched down and picked the girl up. 

“Hey there, baby girl.” The girl giggled when Keith gave her a kiss on the check. 

“Dad, Mommy said that an old friend returned, is that him?” She pointed at Shiro. 

“Don’t point at people or talk about them as if they’re not there.” She pouted and looked a Shiro, but when their eyes met she seemed embarrassed. 

Keith looked Shiro in the eye, his expression full of guilt.

“Are you dads friend?”she asked, oblivious to the tension that hung in the air.  
Keith had a daughter. It took Shiro a second to recollect himself. 

“Y-yeah I am. My name is Shiro.” Her mouth fell open and she looked back at Keith 

“The Shiro?” she whispered to her father, who smiled and nodded. She grasped and covered her mouth with both hands. 

Shiro felt…lost. Keith had children. He didn't even have to guess who the mother was.  
The girls eyes where to unique. Dark purple eyes with specks of gold and turquoise and magenta pupils. Keith and Allura had founded a family. 

Somewhere he knew that Keith had not waited for him, not when there was no guarantee that Shiro would return but he felt so so lost. Out of everything, having Keiths family thrown in his face was the worst. As happy as he wanted to be for Keith all he felt was ugly jealousy. 

That could have been me. 

If what ever happened to him hadn't happened, he would have been the one deciding to destroy Voltron, he would be by Keiths side and not Allura and he would be the one the children looked up to. 

All Shiro ever wanted was his own family, a family with Keith and Keith had it. Keith had everything he ever wanted with another person. 

He wanted to turn around, walk away, but where to? This wasn't his world anymore. So he pushed his feelings back and smiled a fake smile.  
Allura had finished talking to the receptionist and walked over to them, Pidge stayed at a distance.  
Keiths second child, a boy, walk beside Allura. The boy and girl appear to be twins if he guessed their ages correctly. Keith walked over to Allura and took the bag from her shoulder and let his daughter down to stand next to her brother. 

“Shiro.” Allura greeted, both hand place securely around her very pregnant belly. 

“Allura. you look-” 

“Pregnant. yes.”  
“Not what I was going to say.” 

She smiled. “How are you dealing?”

“I’m sure I could do better,” he admitted, “especially after seeing everyone move on.” Shit why had he said that. 

Keith looked guilty, Allura shocked. It only lasted for a second. Keith leaned over to Allura and whispered something in her ear, she stiffened and looked at Keith horrified. Keith looked like he had been physically slapped. 

“Shiro!” Pidge walked over to them. “Let’s check you in. And you-” She pointed at Keith, “Take your family we’ll meet for dinner.” She took Shiros hand and pulled him toward the front desk. Keith opened his mouth to say something but shut it as soon as he saw the glare Pidge sent his way. Shiro didn't watch how Keith gathered his family and walked away.

 

 

Shiro was checked in. He was given a suite in the highest floor. He had asked Pidge for some privacy. He wanted to return to the void. It had been less than 24 hours since he woke up and everything was wrong. 

Maybe if he fell asleep he would wake up in the Castle of Lions realizing it was all just a bad dream? Maybe he would wake up in the Garrison and realize that even Voltron was a dream? 

He knew better than to think that way. This was his life now and he needed to learn to live with it. That was obviously easier said than done. He was laying on the king sized bed trying to process everything that happened. 

Loud rapping knocking came from his hotel door. Shiro groaned and got up. Maybe Pidge decided it was time to bother him again. He opened the door but Pidge wasn't there. Two men stood there, one tall and broad with very defined arm muscles and an orange bandana around his head. The other was not as tall and was leaner in body build. They seemed familiar and both seemed to wait for him to say something.

Hold on…

“Lance…? Hunk…?”

The leaner man grinned: “Told you he would recognize us!” Lance gently hit Hunks shoulder. 

“Hey man. How are you doing?” Hunk ignored Lance and stepped up to Shiro. 

“I’m dealing.” Both nodded. Shiro stepped aside and let Hunk and Lance enter his hotel room. 

“Pidge said that you guys are ambassadors.” Shiro tried to make conversation. 

“Yeah, Hunk is stationed on Balmeara and I’m on Omi.” Lance sat on the couch next to the mini fridge and opened it up. He took a coke out and poured it into three glasses. 

“Omi?”

“It's the planet with the mermaids Hunk and I landed on when we got separated in the corrupt wormhole.”

“I see. Uhhh not to be brash, but I'm not up for anymore surprises today. Anyone else get married or have children?” Hunk and Lance stopped everything they were doing. 

“Coran and Kolivan got married.” Hunk informed but he looked nervously toward Lance. Shiro did a double take. Coran and Kolivan had what?!

“Wait Hunk. Shiro what do you mean anymore surprises? Keith did tell you.” Lance had gotten up and was looking Shiro in the eye.

“He may have wanted to tell me.”

“Oh my God! He didnt warn you! That fucking idiot!” Lance turned away from Shiro and started to pace around the suite.

“Wait so you found out about Allura and Keith ...” Hunk didn't finish the sentence waiting for Shiro to indicate anything. 

“I found out when his daughter ran into his arm in the hotel lobby.” He might have sounded a little spiteful but at the moment he didn't care.

Hunk and Lance looked nervously between them. “Okay no more surprises for you!” Lance threw his arms in the air. 

“Hunk and I had a little fling toward the end of the war but that was it. We soon realized what our positions would be after the war and we broke it off, no bad blood between us. Pidge it pretty much her ace self. Hunk already said Kolivan and Coran married. Umm- am I missing something?” Lance looked over to Hunk who just shook his head. Shiros head was was a bit overwhelmed. Hunk and Lance had a thing?! Well that didn't surprise him.

“I appreciate the sentiment Lance but maybe slow down.”

“Right sorry, it just. Keith should have said something, he owed you that much.” Strange how Lance was more upset about it then Shiro. Then again Shiro was good at hiding his feelings.

“Maybe that's the reason why he never said it?” Shiro could only shrug, he didn't want to antagonize Keith.

Lance and Hunk shared a look again. Hunk wanted to say something but they were interrupted by another knock on the door. Shiro walked over to the door and opened it. Pidge was looking up to him. 

“Hey I heard Lance all the way down the hallway.” she slipped in and looked over to Hunk and Lance accusingly. “You were supposed to get me first.”

Lance shrugged and Hunk looked apologetic. 

“We were just making sure that Keith couldn't pull one over Shrio again.” The three of them started to bicker among each other and Shiro only listened form the side lines. Some things didn't make sense to him, lacking the context of the conversation. It was oddly calming. He wasn't the center of attention anymore and they weren't tip toeing around him like Keith was. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not, but he would enjoy it for now.

 

After few hours Lance and Hunk left and Pidge lingered a little longer to check on Shiro.

“This wasn't too much?” she asked.

“I’m still out of it, so it was nice just seeing that not everything has changed.” She nodded in understanding.

“We are here for you Shiro. Please remember that.”

The following week was like a whirlwind. Lance had taken Shiro out for shopping. Hunk and Pidge where explaining all of the new technology that was introduced the last few years. They explained how New Altea came into being.  
Essentially it was the space UN. The Castle of Lions was also stationed here and used as a government building. Keith and Allura lived on the island, which Hunk so explained had been artificially enlarged. They had spent a day at the beach, it was bizarre seeing aliens strolling along the beach, in the mall or just generally through the streets. Pidge had told him that New Altea was a hotspot and that the rest of earth was still very much human populated. By the end of the week he was told that Keith managed to get an apartment for him. Everything was covered by the Voltron council. 

He hadn't heard from Keith or seen him that entire week.

Well that wasn't quite right he had heard and seen him on the TV. Giving press conferences explaining certain things. The destruction of the black lion was rescheduled. 

Days came and pass. He watched the live broadcast of Blacks destruction. It was strangely anticlimactic.

Shiro didn't know what to feel most of the time. Seeing Keith, as the man he had become, was amazing to him. Shiro knew that he had helped develop Keith into that person. But it was also bizarre because he was watching on a TV from a couch like a stranger. Like he had no place in Keiths life anymore.

Things had calmed down. Hunk and Lance were still on earth working from the Castle of Lions. Pidge was a bit more flexible and in the beginning worked from his his living room, she didn't want to leave him alone. He thanked her but eventually got her to join the rest in working from the Castle of Lions. Shiro spent his time just trying to adjust. Nothing more nothing less. In the morning he would study, many educational things had changed, and in the afternoon Lance, Hunk and Pidge would stop by.  
Coran was currently off world but had video conferenced him. No one ever commented or mentioned his situation, that he was essentially teleported 10 years into the future. They talked to him as if he had never went missing.

He suspected they did that on purpose.

On the desk his new phone began to buzz. He checked the caller id and was surprised to find that Allura was calling him.

He picked up.

“Hello?”

“Shiro, how are you?”

“Good. How are you?”

“Good thanks, I was wondering if you would like to come over for dinner tomorrow?”

“Come over?”

“Yes, it's been nearly two weeks and we haven't talked. I know it's not a good excuse but Keith and I have been busy with the council. Things finally calmed down and I figured it would be the best opportunity to have you over.”

Shiro wanted to ask why she was asking him and not Keith, but he shoved the urge away. He was getting unnecessary bitter. Maybe not, maybe Lance was right and Keith did owe him as much.

“That sounds good.” he finally answered.

“Great. I’ll send you our address and time.” Shiro could hear her breath hitch on the other side of the line as if she wanted to say more. Shiro wondered how Allura felt. Afterall she had married the man he loved. Loves.

“I’ll be there.” He hung up. Shiro leaned back into his chair. He would finally be able to talk to Keith and it made him nervous. 

That afternoon Pidge came by, he told her about the invitation. She seemed unsure what to do with the information. But eventually said that it would be good for him.

He needed to close that chapter in his life.

 

 

Shiro made his way toward Keiths house. A nice evening breeze went through the streets and the sun was slowly setting, the clouds were already coloured a vibrant red. It would take him about twenty minutes to get to Keith house by foot, enough time to complete wreck his nerves over the meeting.  
Did he really want to meet Keith in his home? With his wife and children? No, he didn't but this was the offer he had gotten. By the time Shiro had gotten to the neighborhood that Keith lived in it had darkened enough for the street lamps to turn on. It was a nice neighborhood definitely for the rich government workers. 

It was unlike Keith, maybe Allura had demanded such a neighborhood? He turned around a corner, this was the street Keith lives on. He walked along counting the house numbers. 4303, 4305, 4307 there 4309 Keiths house. The house was two stories high a nice modern build. The front was well taken care of with lush green grass and little flour beds. The lights were on and Shiro could see Keith through one of the windows in front of the house. 

It looked like that he is in the kitchen the way Keith was moving around in it. Allura walked into the kitchen, Keith turned around and said something, she laughed before both their head snap into one direction, looking at something, maybe the children. Keith threw the kitchen towel over his shoulder and walked out of the kitchen. Allura opened what looked like the refrigerator door and got some things out, her head turned back to where Keith disappeared too. He walked over and bent down and got something out of the lower compartment of the fridge. Allura kissed him as thank you.

This was something that Shiro did not want to see. Maybe he could turn around? Say he had caught the flu or something. He took a deep breath. Running away was not an option he needed to face this, this was reality, no matter how heartbroken he was. 

He wished he knew of some sappy love story where to protagonist lost the love of his live in the height of their relationship to a freak accident. He could bury his nose in the book and bawl his eyes out with the protagonist at their shared pain. Maybe eat a bucket of ice cream to fulfill the cliche. Shiro walked up to the house. There was a small gate in the front, he looked if there was a doorbell nearby, there wasn't. He opened the gate and made his way toward the front door. He rang the doorbell once. The sound of footsteps echoed through the door and when they stopped the door swung open. Keith was standing in front of him.

“Shiro, hey.”

“Hey.”

Awkward.

This was not them.

Keith moved to the side inviting him inside with a silent gesture.

Shiro walked inside and took his shoes off. The house was an open floor plan, the kitchen connected to an open dining room area, to a fireplace/livingroom to what Shiro presumed to be a wintergarden in the back.  
Allura must have chosen the house.  
Keiths children were standing by Allura looking at him curiously.

“Hi.” he crouched down to be on eye level with the children.  
The girl beamed at him and waved the boy shied away but waved too. Allura laughed and patted her son's head.  
“Why don't you introduce yourself.”

“But mommy we already met!” the girl said. It was cute. 

“Yeah we did but I never got you names.” Shiro said. 

The girl looked scandalized. “I am Akila!” She stretched her tiny hand out Shiro took it and shook it once. He looked over to the boy waiting for him to introduce himself.  
“I’m Ari.” he too held his hand out but as soon as Shiro touched it he pulled back.

“Don't take it personal he is really shy.” Keith said. Shiro got back up and and looked at Keith.

“I understand.”  
Keith smiled. It was awkward but not as bad has he had thought it would be. 

“We messed up a bit and the lasagne is still cooking in the oven.” The kids ran off to somewhere realizing that nothing interesting was going to happen.

“That's fine.” Allura gestured over to the living room area.

The kids were playing one room over, while Keith and Allura sat in two separate armchairs and Shiro on the couch. 

It only made it more obvious that they did not want Shiro to see them that way. Then again if they had snuggled up on the couch the result would be the same. It was a lose lose situation. 

He took a deep breath, he was not here to be bitter, that is not him. “I heard you destroyed the Black Lion.” Keith nodded  
“Yeah, she was the last one so Voltron is truly gone.” he nodded. 

Silence. 

What was he supposed to talk about. He went to Allura and Keith on a burst of confidence, now that confidence was disappearing fast. He should have turned around.  
He heard the kids playing the next door over. 

“How old are they? The twins I mean.” The children seemed like a safe enough topic

“Their four.” Keith answered. 

“Who gets to tease that they were born five minutes early?” 

“Akila, but she really hasn’t used it against Ari.” They were all looking at the kids. Somehow seeing the twins didn't bother him. He himself had assumed that he would feel some what uneasy around them, but he didn’t. He wasn't sure what it was, maybe because along time ago he had a twin brother and he remembered what it was like to happily play with his twin, maybe something else. 

“Ari is so much quieter than Akila.” Shiro observed.  
“We’re not sure where he got that from.” Allura said. 

Shiro turned his head back to them. Allura had moved over to intertwine her fingers with Keith's, who was absent mindedly stroking his thumb over the back of her hand.  
They didn’t seem conscious of the action. 

Allura's face suddenly morphed into that of pain and she held her free hand over her stomach. Keith looked over to her, concern written all over his face. 

“Was the baby kicking?” Keith asked. 

Allura shook her head. “I’m fine.” She wasn't convincing anyone but no one pressed the matter.  
“So Ari and Akila are what- half Altean, quarter Galra, quarter human?” Shiro asked.  
“Yes but the Galra gene is quite suppressed in them.”  
“Excuse me I need to walk a bit.” Allura left to walk over to the children that had abandoned their toys in favor of drawing. 

Keith and Shiros eyes met. What were they supposed talk about? Keith was not the same person anymore. He had matured and grown up. He was a husband and father. This Keith was a stranger with his lovers face, and they both were aware of it. They never got to start a conversation. Allura cried out in pain. Keith was beside her, before Shiro could even comprehend what happened.  
Both Allura and Keith were deadly pale as they looked to the ground. More specifically the ground beneath Alluras feet, that was now wet.  
Why was it—oh.  
Alluras water broke. 

“Mommy why is there water under your feet?” Ari asked. Allura looked like she was in a lot of pain, yet she still smiled and said: “Mommys going to have the baby now, honey.” 

“But why the water?”  
“The baby is in a bubble of water, so when the baby want to be born it pops the bubble.” 

Ari and Akila only made an oh sound. The entire scene was oddly calm, with Keith calling the hospital and Allura calmly explaining childbirth to her children. Another cry ripped itself from Alluras lips. The calmness was broken. 

“Why is the baby hurting you mommy?!” Akila cried. The twins looked horrified at their mother leaning against the table in pain.

“The baby isn’t hurting mommy, baby girl, but Mommy definitely needs to go to the hospital now.” Keith steadied Allura and slowly walked with her to the door. 

“Kids I need you to go with Uncle Shiro, ok. Mommy and Dad are going to be gone for a while, so behave and don’t give Uncle Shiro a hard time.” Keith looked at Akila and Ari with a stern expression.

Uncle Shiro.

It sounded so foreign. This entire scene seemed so foreign to him. Like he wasn’t meant to be part of it. 

Keith found Shiro's eyes, a silent plea. He knew what that plea meant, he nodded. How could he deny Keith? Even after all this time Keith trusted him enough. He so readily entrust his children, part of his family to Shiro without a second thought. 

Keith walked out with Allura.

“Will mommy be fine?” Shiro looked down Ari and Akila were tugging at his pants. 

“Yes Mommy's going to be fine. Your Dad is with her.” Referring to Keith as a father was like sandpaper in his mouth, something that did not belong there. But there was a small part of him that looked at the twins and it feel right again. Not sure what to do he decided involving the rest of the team was a good idea. 

“I’m going to call your other Uncles and Aunt Pidge, okay?”

“Aunty Pidge.” Ari corrected. Shiro nodded 

“Aunty Pidge.”

He called everyone Shiro could think of that needed to know. Pidge had said she would pick the children and him up, it would only take her fifteen minutes to get to them. In the meantime Shrio sat with the twins on the ground playing a game of uno.  
He felt sorry for Akila her brother immediately laid down a plus four card. They finished the first round by the time they heard the doorbell ring. Shiro walked over and opened the door. Pidge was standing in front him.

“Hey.”

“Hey.”

“Just your luck, huh? Keith finally is talking to you and Allura is having the baby.”

“I have a feeling the universe is trying to tell me something.” He joked, Pidge nodded. 

“Aunty Pidge!” The twins yelled and ran over to her tackling each one of her legs. She stumbled but caught herself. 

“Hey there, you guys saw me only last week. Are you cooking? It smells delicious in here.” Shiros expression fell.

“The oven!” he ran back inside and turned of the oven, ironically enough the lasagna looked perfectly cooked.

“Might as well bring it!” Pidge said.

 

 

They arrived at the Hospital and staff immediately brought them to one of the waiting rooms. Keith came by to check on his children but disappeared again to be with his wife. Shiro had wisely picked up the uno cards and was playing with the Twins. 

They didn't leave him alone, he was their new interesting Uncle after all. Lance, Hunk and Pidge where catching up on some paperwork, he wondered just how much they needed to work and if their daily afternoon visits to him somehow made their workload worse. They had assured him it did not, but he wasn't entirely convinced. 

Coran had hurried back from the diplomatic tour he was on. The twins quickly abandon Shiro for their Uncle Coran. 

It was getting late and the entire room was blanketed by a drowsy feeling.

The labour took 8 hours. Keith had been with Allura in the delivery room the entire time after his first visit. Ari and Alika where sleeping on chairs, each leaning against Coran. Lance and Hunk where leaning against each other, dozing. Pidage was typing something on her laptop. It doesn't surprise Shrio that she became a workaholic. There were only silence and the occasional snore in the waiting room. Then Keith walked in.

Coran shook the children awake, who when they saw their father immediately ran towards him. Which woke the rest of the room up. 

“Is Mommy ok?” Ari asked.  
Keith smiled: “She is fine, just like your baby brother.” Ari and Akila squealed at the news of a baby brother.

“Congratulations man!” Lance walked up to Keith and gave him a big hug, Hunk and Pidge joined quickly after.  
“Thanks.”  
Coran was next to give Keith a hug. “So when will I see my new nephew?” the red haired man asked.

“He is in the nursery right now and Allura is sleeping. The Doctor said we could be back at 1 pm to visit.”

“What do you mean we don't get to see him?!” Akila protested. Keith laughed and crouched down. 

“Well they both need some rest and honestly I need some rest to.” The twins pouted but didn't say anything. Keith looked over to where Shiro was standing slightly distanced from the small group that had formed. He awkwardly shuffled closer, he got the distinct feeling Keith wanted him near and Shiro wanted to move on. 

There was no going back. The world had continued revolving without him, Keith moved on and so should he. It wasn't fair to drag old things up again. Old things for Keith but still fresh for Shiro. That was their dilemma.

“Congratulations Keith.” Shiro went in for a hug and Keith looked happy when he initiated it but it was awkward and ended very fast. 

“Well I guess this means that we are going home, catch some z’s and then come back at one o'clock then.” Lance declared. 

They all nodded and slowly spilled out of the waiting room. Shiro heard how Ari asked if they could go to the nursery and see their brother and Keith said they could quickly stop by. 

Shiro left with Pidge. Sleep came surprisingly easy, but that didn't matter, he didn't plan on going back, it wasn't his place to be. He should simply leave Voltron behind and build a life of his own. Cut ties with everyone and be done. So it was needless to say that he was very annoyed to be woken by rapid banging and excessive use of his door bell at one o'clock. 

“I’m coming.” he quickly put on a pair of jeans and a tank top and opened the door. Coran was standing on the other side.

“Good you are awake.” the man walked in. 

“Coran what are you doing here?” 

“Why I’m here to pick you up.” 

“I’m not going.”

“I had a feeling you would say that.” Shiro raised his eyebrow in question.  
“Now don't look at me like that, you are going and meeting your new nephew!” 

“I really don't think I should be going.”

“And I think you really should be going.” The older man walked to his clothes and got some clothes out. “Now wash up and get dressed.”

“You are not going to let this go are you?”

“No.” Shiro sighed and did as he was told. When he was ready they got into Corans car and headed for the hospital.  
“I know you don't want to be here, but you’ll regret not going.” Shiro looked over to Coran not sure how to respond. 

“You are in a very similar situation as Allura and I were after we woke up from the cryo sleep.” Coran continued. How could he forget that Allura and Coran had experienced something much worse than him. 

“But you had it worse you woke up after 10 000 years and everyone you knew was dead.” 

“I wouldn't say that our situation was worse. Different yes, but not worse. We woke up to a new world. Did we need to relearn a lot of things? Yes, but it was more of a clean slate. We could only build up from where we were. But you are a stranger in your own home. You came back and I’m pretty sure Pidge needed to explain half of your home systems.” 

It was true. Pidge did needed to explain to him how things worked, he sometimes even called her up because he forgot how something worked. 

“If I had woken up out of that cryosleep to find that everyone had moved on, well, I wouldn't know what to do with myself. If I suddenly couldn't go home to my wife because she remarried or couldn't continue my job because they elected a new royal advisor. These things are still within reach, but at the same time they are not.  
So what I’m trying to say: in a way you have it worse and that you can talk to me if you want. But what I do know is if you isolate yourself now from us you will regret it in the future.” Shiro was speechless. He just stared at the man. 

“Say something! I feel like I’m talking to a wall.” 

“I- I...” What did he want to say? He took a deep breath. “Thank you.” He wanted to say more but he was at a lost for words. 

“Your Welcome No. 1.” A comfortable silence spread between them until Coran pulled into the parking lot of the hospital.

“We are running a bit late, so hurry up.” Coran waved at him and made him follow at a fast pace. The older man was almost running, making a straight line for the elevator and hitting the button which lead to the third floor and then headed straight for one of the rooms left to the elevator. Part of Shiro was amused at how excited Coran was, the other part was getting cold feet. Voices echoed through the hallway as they neared a room with an open door.  
He could hear Lance cooing, presumably at the baby, Hunk laughing, Pidge talking to someone and the twins excitedly asking their mother if they could hold their brother. Coran entered the crowded room and shuffled himself to the front to see the baby. 

Shiro remain just outside of the door.  
The feeling of not belonging was back. He hated that feeling, He wanted to get over it. Closing his eyes, taking a deep breath he stepped into the room. 

Pidge was immediately at his side dragging him to the corner of the room. Now among the chaos of the room he could clearly see what was going on. Pidge and Hunk were discussing something that sounded like bureaucracy to him, the twins were by their mother's side, who was quietly talking with Coran and Keith held his son in his arms Lance cooing at him. The baby looked like Allura. Dark skin and white hair. The only notable difference was his human ears.

His cold feet remained. He was only standing there and doing nothing. Coran noticed and waved him over. When he didn't immediately react he waved again, this time it looked forceful. So he walked over. Keith looked up from his son and right into Shiro's eyes. His surprised face quickly morphed into that of joy.

“You came.”

“Yeah.”

Lance gave him a pat on the shoulder and moved toward the twins, distracting them for the time being. Allura looked up at him and smiled to. A small part of Shiro was surprised how happy Keith and Allura seemed at seeing him here.  
Shiro looked at the newborn. He had a clear view of the face now and saw blue eye markings, so the ears were the only human thing about him.

“What's his name?” Shiro asked.

Keith and Allura shared a look before Keith answered: “We don't have one yet.”

“You don't have one yet?” Shiro knew of parents that only came up with a name a week after their child's birth, but he never thought that Keith and Allura where the type to do so.

“Yeah there was a lot going on during the pregnancy so it was pushed back.” Allura seemed rather upset and gestured for for her son. Keith got up and handed him over. 

“Everyone out except Shiro.” she commanded.

Silence.

“Honey, what are you doing?” Keith carefully asked his wife.

“Having a private conversation, darling. Now everyone out!” Hunk, Lance and Pidge were already making their way out. Keith looked like he did not want to move from the spot locked in a staring match with his wife. The twins looked shocked at their mother's outburst, Coran was ushering them toward the door. He moved them outside then grabbed Keith by the arm. He turned and looked at Coran but eventually gave in and walked out. Meanwhile Shiro was just standing there unsure what to do. It feels like that was all he was doing nowadays.

“Please close the door.” Allura said. Coran nodded and closed the door behind him.

Shiro looked over to Allura who smiled at him

“Sit. I would like to talk a bit.”

Before Allura had an air of authority, but now, after ten years, battle hardened as an adult and mother, now he felt practically compelled to follow her, every one of her commands. He sat in the chair Keith previously sat in. 

Allura took a deep breath. “Sorry about that.”

“It’s fine.” Allura turned toward him and smiled softly. “Do you want to hold him?” 

“I--” was it a good idea?

“Don't be shy. I’ll explain how you need to hold him.”

Shiro nodded and listened to Alluras instruction. After about a minute he was holding Keith and Alluras son safely in his arm. 

It was bizarre, holding Keiths son, but also strangely calming.

“His name is Shiro.”

What?! What Allura just said?

“His name is-- You named him after me?!”

Allura smiled and nodded: “If Keith had not backed out last minute. Don't blame him, he is in a difficult place at the moment.”

He looked down at the baby. At Shiro.

“Why did you want to name him after me?”

“Why not? You are the original leader of this group and were important to Keith.”

“Yeah, but Keith and I are a-- were a couple. How did you feel about him naming one of your child after me?”

“I was the one to suggest it actually. Shiro when you returned Keith and I had a long and serious talk.”

He could feel his shoulder tense. This wouldn't end good for him either way. Either Keith didn't have any feeling for him anymore or he did, possibly tearing a family apart. But he knew the answer. 

“He fell out of love.”

Allura didn't say anything. Silence spread through the room, neither knew how to continue the conversation. Shiro still held the newborn in his arms. He was asleep blissfully unaware about the world around him. He would be for a few more years.

“When did you realize that Keith doesn't have feelings for you anymore?” Allura sounded unsure, something Shiro wouldn't have expected of her.

“I saw the looks he gave you. Keith, when he is in love with someone, just has this way at looking a that person. I know because I have seen it directed towards me often enough. He looks at you like that, he looks at the children like that and he looks,” he couldn't help but laugh, “he looks at Shiro like that.” Lifting the sleeping baby in his arms slightly for emphasis. “But now, when he looks at me, it's a look of guilt.”

“He waited you know. After about a year had passed we couldn't wait anymore,” it was a nice way of saying that they had given up, “We had stopped because Slav had exhausted all possibilities. Keith had him look for you practically that entire year and finally Slav said that it's beyond him. Keith was furious, but eventually Keith moved on.”

“Moved on is a nice way of putting it.”

“I mean it. The war was getting worse and the alliance had grown larger. He didn't have much of a choice.”

“How close were you to him back then?”

“We had grown incredibly close by the time. Our relationship only became romantic towards the end of the war. I suspect that when we got together he still wasn't over you, Shiro.”

Shiro didn't say anything. He didn't know what to say.

“Shiro can I ask a favor?”

“Which is?”

“Talk to Keith alone. You are both avoiding each other. I believe you need closure as much as Keith does,” she leaned over and laid her hand on top of his, “Don't tell him I told you, but he admitted to me that he feels like he is cheating on you with me.”

It shocked Shiro to hear this, but it explained many things. 

“There's no need for him to feel that way.” 

“Please be honest with me Shiro: do you feel like he is betraying you?”

Did he feel betrayed? He nearly opened his mouth and said that he felt betrayed by everything but that wasn't true. He did not feel like that about Pidge, Lance, Hunk or Coran. They owed him nothing.

Neither did he loathe Allura or the twins even though they were a constant reminder of what he could never have with Keith. If he was truly honest with himself, the loathing he felt was directed toward Keith.  
That small, loud, irrational part of him wanted Keith to wait as long as it would take. He had the rug pulled from under his feet so often during his life and Keith had been a constant, a pillar, and now he lost him too. He knew that it was stupid and unfair to think like that but he couldn't help it. He moved over to Allura indication that she should take her son back. She did.

“Thanks for the conversation.” he got up ready to leave the room.

“Wait Shiro! I didn't mean to upset you!” he turned back and saw her looking distressed.

“You didn't, but you made me realize something, I just need to think it over. Thank you.” She still looked uncertain but nodded. He walked over to the door and opened it. The chatter from outside died with the door opening. They were all standing in a circle, the twin at Keith's side, talking.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. Pidge could you help me find a public transportation route from here back to my apartment.” There was only the tiniest moment of hesitation before Pidge nodded and got her phone out to search for public transport.

“Shiro...” Keith was looking directly at him, with that same guilty expression. Coran looked equally worried behind him.

“Don't worry. I just need some time to think.” Pidge found a route for him and he downloaded the map to his phone. He left in a hurry so no one could talk him into staying longer than needed. The conversations he had with Allura and Coran was liberating. He finally didn't feel like he was constantly falling. He was grounded. They had made him realize things. Now all he needed to do was to secure his foundation. 

 

A few days later Shiro called Keith to meet him at the beach.

 

Shiro was looking out at the ocean. The rolling of the waves calmed Shiro's neves for what was to come. He heard how footsteps in the sand and turned around. Keith was walking up to him.

“Hey.”

“Hey.”

“You wanted to talk?” Keith asked.

“I want to, but first I want to ask something of you.”

“What is it?”

“Break up with me.”

Keith looked at Shiro in bewilderment. “Break up with you?”

“Yes. You never broke up with me and now you are married with children. You are the worst boyfriend ever.” he hoped he didn't overdo it, but Keith laughed.

“You're right, technically we are still together.”

“Exactly. Since you are married I think it is appropriate that you have the uncomfortable part of breaking up with me.” Keith left out a huffy laugh before looking past Shiro onto the ocean, thinking. For a while only the sound of the waves could be heard.

“Shiro, I’m breaking up with you.” the playfulness from before washed away.

“Why are you breaking up with me?” Keith looked at him owlish for a second as if he had not expected Shiro to ask such a question.

“Because I fell out of love.” he finally answered. 

“Is it something I did?” The look Keith gave him was priceless. Yes he was doing this and yes he would make Keith work for it. Keith seemed to have realized this too.

“There is nothing you could have done. I couldn't wait for you any longer. I waited years for you, but you never came and I realize that wasn't your fault, but I had to move on for my own sake. For my own happiness.”

I realize that it wasn't your fault. It stung because, yes, if Shiro had had any say in the matter they wouldn't be standing here.

“Are you happy now?” Ah shit his voice was cracking, he didn't want to cry. He hadn't cried since waking up.

“I am. Allura makes me incredibly happy. I am happy to have three wonderful healthy children and I am so, so very sorry that I'm not sharing this happiness with you.”

Shiro had not expected Keith to say that. He couldn't hold back his tears any longer.

“Shiro believe me when I say that if I could go back in time and change the outcome I would. Because I truly believe that we could have been happy together, but I can't. I had moved on and I have fallen in love with another person and it breaks my heart that I have to break yours.”

Knowing this and hearing it were two different things. Hearing Keith confess to him that they could have been happy together crushed and liberated Shiro at the same time.  
Two arms circled around him. Keith pulled him into a hug. Shiro wrapped his arms around Keith like his life depended on it, he buried his face in Keiths shoulder and sobbed. He let everything out all his frustration all his sadness every emotion he had not let himself feel since waking up.  
He finally let it all go. When he calmed down and detached himself from Keith, he saw that Keith's eyes were red and puffy too. This was as difficult for Keith as it was for him. 

“You are important to me Shiro and I want you in my life if possible, but not in that way anymore -- never in that way anymore.” Keith didn't meet his eyes. Shiro reached out and cupped Keith's face so he could look him in the eyes.  
“I understand. Thank you Keith.”

They sat down next to each other and just watched the waves roll. 

“So what do you want to do?” Keith asked after a while.

“I thought I would go back to my original plan.”

“Original plan?”

“Explore the universe. I mean I wouldn't do it as an explorer , I would be a tourist, but I think that's best for me.”

“How long will you be gone?”

“I don't know. I want to come back but so much has changed, every ambition I have ever had is already accomplished. So I’ll work myself though the universe with odd jobs like a college student on a gap year.”

Keith laughed, many people did that nowadays. Work on different planets for a few gac before continuing onto school.

“I may need your help. After all I am officially still a dead man, aren't I.”

Keith cringed but nodded.

“I never thanked you for covering my presence up. If I had a media breath down my back right after I woke up it think I would have lost it.”

“It's the least I could do. I’m just glad it worked. You are also lucky that the Voltron council is not that interesting for the media.”

“Whys that?”

Keith shrugged: “We don't have any interesting scandals. The media only pays attention to us during work house.”

“I would have expected you to have the media on your every step.”

“I thank the other governments for that. It's much more interesting to see the Klarsus elections.” Keith laughed.

“Klarsus?”

“A small planet with some interesting cultural differences. Go visit you’ll understand.”

They laughed. They talked. They listened to the ocean. In that moment Shiro knew that Keith and him would not spent their lives together like they had planned, but they would share bits and pieces with each other.

 

The following week Shiro left earth like he said he would.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this one shot and you can find me under Lucia-ik on tumblr


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